I'm just baffled that you guys can afford decent bikes in your, err, twilight years. I'm coming up 42, and both the wife and i earn reasonable money. But by the time all the bills are paid and the kids shit is sorted, I barely have enough to buy the occasional SH parts...
Young kids are the ones usually on the latest bikes, paid for my daddy...or at least that was the case when i used to race DH. MOST of the older guys were on shitters, but they smiled a lot more.
I've only ever had 2 new bikes in my life, both bought at wholesale when I used to have some money invested in a mates shop. One of them, bought in 04, is still my DH bike.
I'm at the opposite end of the scale to some of you blokes. I don't give a fuck what people think if I turned up on a 9yo DH bike with outdated geometry and parts. My other bikes are all older bikes with a mish mash of my favorite parts ......but I'm having more fun on them than most of the guys that rock up in carbon XTR bikes.....and I generally kick their arses, as well...:flame:
Good luck to anyone who has a flash new bike, even if they aren't the fastest guys out there. Unlike many young riders, you earled it and really appreciate it. Are we bagging the guys who buy sports cars during their mid life crisis and don't flog them at the race track? Ok, yes we are, bad example...